Why is My Refrigerator Not Cooling?

There are a lot of reasons why a refrigerator will not cool. If you would like to save yourself a little time and inconvenience, give Council Bluffs Appliance Repair a call for refrigerator repair in Council Bluffs, IA. We are eager to visit and diagnose the issue and repair it for you.

When a refrigerator isn’t cold, it’s time to figure out what the problem could be. A lot of times it’s something as basic as a routine coil cleaning. But, with these new refrigerators, they’re manufactured with a variety of sensors too.

Before we look too deep, we monitor the most common and simple reasons for this issue. Here are some issues that we’ve determined can lead to a refrigerator that won’t cool:

Is the refrigerator plugged in? This will seem like it is a funny question, but we’ve been called out to jobs that this was the reason for the issue. For some reason, the refrigerator was not plugged in. Maybe a child or pet unplugged it, or an electrician during a project. Whatever the cause may be, be sure it is plugged in.

Look at the thermostat inside. This is a typical issue for customers with children in the home. After all, children love buttons and dials and so, without understanding they’re doing something bad, they play with them. So, be sure that the thermostat temperature is not the reason for the warm fridge.

Refrigerator Components to Inspect?

Be sure the vents in the freezer area aren’t blocked with containers or food. This is common since bags of frozen vegetables get jammed in the back of the freezer. There could be food in the way back of a freezer unit that has been forgotten about.

Be sure the refrigerator’s condenser cooling fan is clear and clean of all debris. To do this, unplug the fridge and slide it out from the kitchen wall. The cooling fan for many models is right at the bottom of the appliance or in the back of the freezer portion. A lot of times, customers don’t think about cleaning this section of the appliance. But, it’s important to clean it. And, it builds up with fuzz and dust quickly, especially with houses that have dogs and cats. So, grab a clean rag and get the collected dust out of the refrigerator coils and fan.

This is not suggested for refrigerators that have the rear coil system. Once all clean, plug it into the outlet and monitor if the fan moves.

The Freezer Unit is Cold but the Refrigerator is Not

There are a few more reasons for a refrigerator that won’t cool after these more common ones to take a look at if the freezer is cold but your refrigerator isn’t. The evaporator coils have frost on them. This occurs when there is a malfunction in the defrost heating system. Or when the automatic defrost has a problem. The evaporator fan motor can be another reason.

Every fridge has a pair of evaporator coils. These coils are what cool and then the fan circulates the cool air throughout the appliance. The damper control assembly isn’t working the right way. The temperature control board which carries the electricity to the fan and compressor, this probably isn’t the problem but it’s worth troubleshooting.

And, the thermistor might be malfunctioning, which is a tiny sensor within the unit that tells the temperature. Having one of our technicians look at it is the best solution but these are some of the most typical problems.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

• Ice Maker Isn’t Working
• How Does a Refrigerator Work?
• Refrigerator is Noisy
• Refrigerator Water Dispenser Not Working